The Domestication of Jack Harkness
by IantojJackh
Summary: Jack plays nurse when Ianto is under the weather. Nurse uniform not included. Part two is now up. What was Ianto's answer to Jack's question?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Domestication of Jack Harkness  
**Author:** **iantojjackh**  
**Pairing:** Jack/Ianto  
**Characters:** Jack and Ianto  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Jack plays nurse while Ianto is under the weather. Nurse uniform not included.  
**Warnings:** None  
**Setting/Time:** Some glorious AU world where Ianto, Owen and Tosh are still alive.  
**Beta:** **timelordshines**  
**Disclaimer:** The characters are not mine. I'm just playing in their sandbox for a while  
**A/N:** Written for the prompt: H/C Jack/Ianto. Ianto is injured/ill/whatever. Jack comforts for **torchwood_fest** winter exchange

* * *

**_The Domestication of Jack Harkness _**

***sneeze***

***sniffle***

***cough***

"Here's your coffee, sir." Ianto's voice squeaked like a mouse. His eyes were glassy and a thin sheen of sweat covered his forehead. His body felt like a lorry had hit him and subsequently rolled over him several times.

"Is everything okay?" Jack could not miss the extreme paleness and slow movements of the man who could usually come in, place a cup of coffee on the desk and be on his way out before anyone noticed. Today Ianto's pace resembled that of someone three times his age.

"Everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Ianto stifled a sneeze as he slowly shuffled toward the door.

"Hold up, Ianto." Jack ordered, tasting the coffee brought to him. It was off and most importantly it was ice cold. "Come here," he beckoned with his finger.

"Is this going to take long?" Ianto huffed with annoyance, rolling his eyes to add to his displeasure. "I have a lot of work to do in the archives." And by a lot of work Ianto meant he had a long nap to take.

Jack reached out and touched Ianto's cheek. His hand jumped back surprised at how warm it felt. Was Ianto sick? Jack felt bad that he hadn't noticed earlier. The first clue should have been when Ianto refused to let Jack stay over last night and the Welshman only does that when Jack has done something wrong and Jack was positive he had been on his best behaviour for a long time "You are really hot."

An exasperated sigh pushed from the obviously ill man's lips, "I don't think this is the time or place to be hitting on me, sir."

"There is never a wrong time or place for that," Jack retorted with a big grin. "Are you running a fever?" He clarified what he had really meant.

"I don't think so, but it is a little warm in here. Can I go now? The archives are not going to fix themselves." Ianto took several steps towards the door before the world began to spin faster than a top and he had to hold onto the chair to keep from falling.

_'Stubborn bastard,' _Jack mused to himself. "Let Owen be the judge of that." He was not going take no for an answer. Jack slid an arm around Ianto's waist watching as the other man winced. "What's wrong?" he asked, his face full of concern.

"Every muscle aches," Ianto knew there was no point in hiding it anymore. He took the handkerchief from his pocket and loudly blew his nose.

"Every muscle?" Jack asked suggestively and quickly ran his eyes up and down Ianto's form, taking a moment to appreciate its beauty.

Ianto huffed indignantly and rolled his eyes. "Time and place, Jack."

"You have the flu, don't you?"

"Probably."

"You are getting examined by Owen and then I'm taking you home." Jack left no room for argument as he supported the fatigued man with an arm around his waist.

Ianto shook his head vigorously to try and clear it and to protest being examined by Owen. It only succeeding in making himself even more dizzy, causing him to fall into Jack. "There's too much work to be done. No time to stay at home," he refused to lose time at work to illness.

"Are you turning down an opportunity to have me take care of you?"

"Yes," Ianto nodded. Last time Jack offered his services like this, Ianto ended up doing all the work and pulled a muscle in his back and was in bed for three days.

"Come on. This time will be different. I promise, Ianto." Jack frowned at the lack of faith Ianto had in him.

Ianto just sneezed and used his handkerchief to blow his nose. "I love you Jack, but no. I don't want to end up in A&E with something broken or worse." The sentiment was sweet, but with Jack the harder he tried to be domestic the more disastrous the results.

"Let's get you to Owen," Jack used his hip to prod the stubborn Welshman to get moving again.

Ianto grumbled something under his breath in Welsh that was rude and bordering on the insulting.

"Hey, I'm trying help. No need to get nasty," Jack took the insult to heart, but cut Ianto some slack because he was not feeling well.

"What's wrong with tea-boy?" Owen asked as the two men approached with Ianto somehow managing to look angry whilst also looking like he was about to pass out.

"The flu," Jack answered and earned an eye roll from Ianto. _'And he's very cranky,' _he mouthed to Owen.

"Shirt off, Jones!" Owen ordered his patient and watched Ianto undress the upper half of his body. If Ianto hadn't looked so rough he would have got the rectal thermometer out just to see the look on his face.

"Thirty-nine degrees." Owen made a face and continued his examination, asking Ianto what his symptoms were. "You've don't have the flu. It's a mild case of pneumonia. If you feel as bad as you look, why didn't you stay at home?"

"Too much work to do. No time to stay home," Ianto whined and rubbed his tired eyes that felt as if they were on fire.

"So you came in to infect us with your cooties?"

"Cooties? What are you, five? I didn't feel like I had been hit by a lorry several times until an about hour ago." Ianto shivered. It felt like he had been thrown into an ice bath while his head was held over a pit of lava.

"Whatever. You need to take a few days off and stay in bed and I don't mean Jack's definition of staying in bed. I mean get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids."

Ianto started to protest, knowing what taking a few days off meant. The hub would be declared a hazardous zone and it would take him double the amount of days he was out to get the place back into order.

"That is doctor's orders and Jack can back me up and make that boss' order as well. Though sometimes I wonder if you are the boss of him. Go home. Take something for the fever and sleep. I'll write you a script for some cough medicine and an antibiotic." Owen saw that Ianto looked like he would not make it home alone and gestured toward Jack.

"I'll take Ianto home," Jack said before Owen had to ask. "And I'll make sure he goes straight to bed."

"I'm not a child."

"But you are acting like one," Jack had no qualms about calling Ianto out for his behaviour. Being sick was no excuse. "I'm taking the next few days off as well. Only call me if and when the world is ending."

Ianto was annoyed, but he did not have the energy to put up a fight. "If you insist. Just don't blame me when you get sick." He slowly got redressed, every movement hurt as if his muscles were being stretched beyond their normal limits.

Half an hour later the couple arrived at Ianto's flat with an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air that been there since they left the hub.

"Do you want me to make you some tea?" Jack asked.

"Sure. Okay," Ianto shrugged as he shuffled over toward the couch, sighing with relief as it felt like heaven to be comforted by its welcoming softness.

"Or not," Jack laughed as he heard snoring from the living room just as he was about to turn on the electric kettle. He emptied the water and went over to couch to make Ianto comfortable.

Ianto had already removed his jacket and tie, but left his shoes on. Jack made quick work of them before he headed to the bedroom to grab a pillow and blanket.

"There you go," Jack whispered to the snoring man as he slid the pillow under Ianto's head and covered him with the blanket. "I'll be back in a little while," he kissed the burning forehead of his lover and frowned. Jack did not like to see his loved ones suffer.

Jack quickly scribbled a note, telling Ianto he had gone to the shops to get supplies for the next couple of days and left it on the table in front of the couch were Ianto was sleeping.

Two hours later Jack returned after his shopping rounds to find Ianto sitting at the kitchen counter asleep. Ianto had changed out of his suit and into a pair of pyjama bottoms and a hoodie.

Jack quickly put away the stuff he had bought, leaving out the soup and medicine "Hey, you hungry?" He asked in a whisper, putting his hand on the small of Ianto's back and saying the words against his ear.

"A little," Ianto yawned which lead to a coughing fit and him leaning against Jack in order to sit up straight. Maybe this time having Jack play nurse would not be such a bad thing. "Thanks, Jack."

"For what?" Jack asked, kissing the top of Ianto's head. "There is no place I'd rather be." It was the truth. Over the last few years since getting involved with Ianto, Jack found himself enjoying the quiet moments away from work. His life did not solely have to revolve around Torchwood and the moment the door closed on Ianto's flat, it had become an unspoken rule that work was never mentioned unless it came looking for them.

"I'm sure there are more exciting things than taking care of a sick person." Ianto reached for the tissue and blew his nose. He knew he was quite the sight with a red, runny nose, puffy eyes, skin paler than a white sheet and hair that looked like it had not seen a comb in weeks.

"But this where you are." Jack relished the smile his words brought to Ianto's face. "How about you get into bed and I'll bring your soup."

"Toss in a massage and you've got yourself a deal," Ianto sighed. It seemed like his nap on the couch made every muscle cry out louder for some kind of relief.

"Ok, it's a deal. Now march that sexy ass of yours off to bed right now," Jack ordered playfully and pinched Ianto's backside to get him moving.

Ianto yelped as he jumped off the stool and pretended to scowl at his ass being pinched. "Yes, sir," he played along and added a suggestive eyebrow wiggle before making his way to the bedroom.

Several massages later, meals fed to him, movies watched and showers together, Jack had not once tried to make a move beyond the few kisses that Ianto was the one to initiate. Granted the kisses were short and ended with Ianto coughing until he was red faced and lightheaded.

It was some time in the middle of the third day and the couple was watching a tearjerker movie, curled up on the couch when Ianto was hit with a sudden realization and it caused him to burst out laughing in the middle of a very sad scene.

Jack was confused by the sudden outburst and felt Ianto's forehead to make sure his fever had not come back. "Okay, what gives?" He finally asked.

"We've done it, haven't we?" Ianto had an amused smirk in his face. It was one of those things that both had fought hard to prevent, but it ended up happening anyway. He shifted so that he could face the man who had managed to sneak into every essence of his being.

"Done what?" At first Jack was confused, but a moment later he knew exactly what the man whom he still found sexy as hell even in this state meant. That should have been his first clue; still finding Ianto irresistible with his red runny nose, sleep in the corner of his bloodshot eyes, sweat soaked hair, basically looking like shit. "I think we have," he laughed as well, placing a kiss on the tip of Ianto's raw nose. Being able to read the other's mind was another sign. Then there was the fact that he had spent the better part of three days taking care of his sick boyfriend and did not expect anything in return.

Ianto rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Is this going to be my mark on history? The one who domesticated Jack Harkness?" Even as corny as it sounded, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It was an idea that Ianto liked very much. Perhaps it was possible to have a normal life inside Torchwood.

The next words out of Jack's mouth stunned him almost as much as they stunned Ianto. "Marry me Ianto Jones?"

**To be continued?**


	2. The End is Where We Start From

**Title**: The End is Where We Start From  
**Author**: **iantojjackh**  
**Summary**: What she's trying to say is, that the kids don't like it when Mummy and Daddy fight.  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Characters**: Jack, Ianto and cameos by the whole team.  
**Warnings**: Might be some slight Gwen bashing, depends on how you look at it.  
**Spoilers**: None. This a nice AU where the team is still whole.  
**Beta**: the always brilliant **badly_knitted**  
**Notes**: Sequel to The Domestication of Jack Harkness.

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**_The End is Were We Start From_**

"How do we solve the Ianto problem?" Gwen asked Owen in hushed tones, not wanting to disturb said man who was doing his cleaning thing several feet away.

"What are you talking about?" Owen did not have the same subtlety Gwen had.

"Shh," Gwen punched Owen's arm with all the strength she could muster. "He will hear you."

"He can hear you," Ianto replied flatly, not looking up from his task. "Is there something I can help you with, Gwen? A file to sharpen your talons or do you need me to leave the room so you can talk about me some more?" Ianto used the tone reserved for when he was at his highest pissy level.

"It's not like that, Ianto. We are worried about you," Gwen replied in her mother hen tone.

"How lovely and thoughtful of you." It was classic Jones sarcasm at its best. "Always thinking you can fix everything and everybody." And it was time for the eye roll. The pestering and whispers had grown loathsome over the last three weeks and the overly annoyed Welshman had enough.

"What she's trying to say is, that the kids don't like it when Mummy and Daddy fight. What did Daddy do to give you perpetual pissy-itis?" Owen could never help being a bastard to the youngest team member especially when it involved Ianto and Jack's relationship.

"First off, pissy-itis is not a word and three weeks hardly makes something perpetual." Ianto shot a stony glare toward Owen. "And if I were your mother I would wash your mouth out with soap for being a smart ass. Then I would take a belt to your backside for being a naughty naughty little boy." Ianto made sure there was emphasis on the word little. There was a slight eyebrow raise and Ianto's tone said he'd enjoy flogging the sarcastic one more than he should.

"It's only been three weeks? Feels like more like three years. It's colder than the Arctic around here. You and Jack have hardly said a word to each other since you came back from your bout of pneumonia. Did you two break up or something?" Owen watched for any cracks in the steely man's armour and found none.

Ianto looked up, his face devoid of any emotion which was far calmer than the storm raging inside. "Just about. We decided it was time for a change in our relationship." Without another word, Ianto tossed the rag he had been using to clean and walked away not seeing the look of shock on the others' faces.

Just before he was about to exit through the cog doors, Ianto paused and turned around. "I'm allowed to go home, aren't I?" He had felt the eyes like lasers burning into the back of his head. "See you in the morning, or maybe not," Ianto said with a wave and a smug smirk.

Once the doors closed Gwen erupted into a mini fit. "How can he be so calm about it? No one takes a breakup that well after being together six years."

Owen shook his head, "Gwen, this may be a bit of a shock to you, but Ianto is a guy. He's not the type to curl up and cry over a breakup. What he has been is a snarky bastard. Jack on the other hand has been eerily quiet. My guess is he's taking this harder than tea-boy is."

"But isn't this out of the blue?" Gwen's voice was starting to annoy Owen.

"Or not? Who knows what happened when Ianto was ill. You see a different side of someone when you are with them twenty-four seven. Who knows maybe they weren't so compatible after all." The medic explained to the dense woman who had the easiest relationship known to man.

"But they are together all the time here. It doesn't make sense." Gwen frowned at Owen's lack of concern over this major development in her friends' lives.

"It's none of our business, Gwen. They are grown men quite capable of making their own choices and as long as it doesn't negatively impact my life they can do as they please," Owen walked away, closing the lid on the subject.

Gwen would not rest until she got to the bottom of the mystery of the disappearing relationship. Barging into Jack's office without a plan would end in failure, so she needed a plan in order to get Jack to open up.

Twenty minutes later, she entered Jack's office with a cup of coffee, a friendly smile and a fair amount of cleavage showing. The cleavage was only to bring light to the captain's dour mood. "Jack, I'm sorry to hear about you and Ianto. Is there anything I can do for you? Oh, you are on the phone. Sorry."

Jack looked up and shook his head, listening to the person. "Yes. How did you know that?" He pulled the phone from his mouth.

"I think a button came undone. Wouldn't want you to catch a draft." Jack rolled his eyes at the obvious attempt of what looked like a desperate woman. "Is there something I can help you with, Gwen? As soon as I'm off the phone I'm leaving. I've got plans tonight."

All the while Jack could hear laughing on the other end off the phone. "You laugh now, but you won't be laughing tonight." Whatever was said in response made Jack blush furiously.

"You have a date?" Gwen asked, feeling like a fool. There was not much that could make the Captain blush and she wondered what was said and who said it.

Jack nodded and smirked, "Something like that. It'll be okay. This is the way things are supposed to be."

Gwen stamped her foot, causing Jack to jump. "How can you be so cavalier about this?"

"Goodbye, Gwen." Jack returned to his phone call. "I'll be there and I'll try not to be late. You know how much I'm looking forward to tonight. It's my best idea ever...yes, it was your idea too, but I'm the one who asked first."

Gwen watched Jack for a few seconds, noticing he looked ecstatic and seemed like he did not care that he moved on so quickly.

A couple minutes later Jack bounded down the stairs from his office, almost skipping. "Have fun kids." Jack started to hum Get Me to the Church on Time as he tried to leave, but was stopped by Gwen.

"There is something wrong here," Gwen stood her ground with her hands on her hips.

"Yes, you are in my way and are going to make me late. My date gets very pissy if I'm late," Jack narrowed his eyes, not wanting to deal with the nosy woman. "Now move if you don't want find yourself looking for a new job," he threatened. "It's my life and this is really none of your business."

"This is not over, Jack Harkness."

"Yes, it is," Jack pushed his way out of the hub, having a few errands to make before he had to meet his date.

Surprisingly, Jack was less then five minutes late after his detention and inquisition by Gwen. He snuck up behind the person he was to meet and slid his arms around their waist. "I missed you," he nibbled on the sensitive flesh behind the ear. "How did you know Gwen came to my office flashing cleavage? You haven't been watching me on the CCTV again have you? I so love it when you do that."

"Because she is predictable, Jack. She smelt blood in the water and tried to go in for the kill and since she was given false information she thought she had to play Mummy Dearest and fix what she thought was wrong with our relationship and if she couldn't fix it she thought she finally had her chance to make her move. I wonder what Rhys would think of that." Ianto smirked and leaned back into Jack, tilting his head to give his lover better access to what he wanted. "Maybe I went a little too far letting her and Owen think we broke up."

"Though the sex at home was beyond incredible with not being able to do anything all day," Jack peppered kisses along Ianto's neck, trying to undo his tie. "You think we have time for a quickie?"

Ianto rolled his eyes and suppressed the moan that wanted to escape. "Remember what I said to you this morning."

"No more sex until we are married. Stupid rule. Beyond unfair," Jack pouted. His pouting became more serious when Ianto laughed at him.

"You make it seem like I will depriving you of sex for a month."

"It certainly feels like a month."

"It'll be no more than two more hours. We're just waiting for Aiden to arrive. Just think of what I said to you when you told me I won't be laughing tonight," Ianto turned to face Jack, a wily smile upon his lips.

"That is not helping. You are an evil man, Ianto Jones. You want me to think of the things you plan on doing to me and expect me to wait?"

Ianto tutted and smirked, "Good things come to he who waits. If you wait there will be many good things that will come to you tonight. So many many good things." Ianto allowed one steamy toe-curling kiss until a voice broke them apart.

"Mr. Harkness? Mr. Jones?" The lanky and stern looking man asked.

"Are you from the registry office?" Ianto inquired.

"I am. Are you sirs ready to begin?"

"Yes. Do you have the rings, Jack?" Ianto slid his arm around the man dreams were made of.

"Yup, right in my pocket," Jack offered his best smile as a million butterflies suddenly fluttered in his stomach. "Ready for this?"

"Never more ready for anything." Ianto returned the smile, never feeling more confident than this moment.

The ceremony began and traditional vows were exchanged until Jack spoke up and said that he and Ianto had something extra they wanted to add to the ceremony.

Jack went first and he took Ianto's hands into his, his breath getting caught in the back of his throat. It finally hit Jack how much brighter life had become since Ianto became the most important part of it. The amazing journey began eight years ago tonight while chasing a Weevil and now the next leg of the epic journey was about to begin and last for an eternity and a half.

"When I first laid my eyes on you eight years ago today in this very spot I never imagined you would become such a big part of my life. I can still clearly picture how those jeans hugged your backside so perfectly. Just like those trousers are now." The jeans comment earned Jack a steely glare from his soon to be husband. "It's your fault that you are too attractive for your own good." Jack finished with the little tangent and returned to his vows.

"I had locked my heart away, too scared to trust someone with it in its true unguarded form. Then you came along and slowly and quite sneakily picked that lock. Now, I cannot imagine my life without you. You are my best friend. My confidant. My rock. My heart. My everything. There is no one else I can imagine spending eternity with. I stand here today and pledge for everyone to hear, something I promised myself years ago, to make you happy and to love you for as long as I live. I give you my heart. You are an amazing person, Ianto and nothing brings me more joy than to know from here on out that your face with be the last one I see at night and the first one I see in the morning. Today is the start of our new journey and as the days pass I will fall in love with you more and more." Jack was not sure why he had strayed from the words he had written down, but once he started the emotions overflowed and his heart started to do the talking.

Ianto turned an impressive shade of red, deeply touched by Jack's words. His own words that he had planned to say had been forgotten. "I don't know if I can say anything that can possible follow that." Ianto blotted a few tears from his eyes and paused for a long moment as he tried to find the words to express what was in his heart. "Sometimes when I watch you sleep I wonder what someone like you who has seen and done so much sees in someone like me, but I realize that we have no choice in who we fall in love with. It only matters that our hearts chose each other to fall in love with. There aren't enough words in the universe to describe what I feel for you. You complete me and make me whole. I know that sounds corny, but it's the truth. I've never been this happy and I know we will be happy for the rest of our lives. I love you, Jack Harkness and I will until the end of time." Ianto hoped that his words were enough to convey his true feelings as he knew his words were not nearly as eloquent as Jack's.

After the beautiful words were exchanged it was time to exchange the rings made of platinum and inscribed inside was a Welsh proverb that translated to English said: Whilst kicking and biting, love develops.

Next came the best part of the ceremony where the registrar pronounced their union official followed by the sealing of their commitment with a kiss that encompassed everything their relationship was: hot and sweet, bold and timid, rushed and patient, angry and loving, passionate...very passionate. It was as if the world vanished around them and time slowed to a halt.

When the kiss ended both men had tears in their eyes and their foreheads came to a rest against one another.

"Let's go home," Jack grabbed his husband's hand and all but dragged him to the car.

* * *

Gwen was the first in the next morning and was in desperate need of a caffeine fix, but the lights were off and there was no sign of human life. That is when she saw the note taped next to the coffee machine.

Before she could read past the first sentence Owen and Tosh came through the door and Owen immediately cried out for coffee.

"You'll have to wait until Ianto gets back in ten days," Gwen held up the note she had found.

"Shit! How did he manage to get so much time off?" Owen complained about the unfairness of it, especially since he was no longer with Jack. "The little fucker is still pulling Jack's strings. Jack wouldn't let me take three days off and he gives Tea-boy ten. Tell me how that's fair? Where's Jack?"

"He's in Italy with Ianto." Tosh grinned, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "They got married yesterday, but didn't want anyone to know. Ianto said he left a note. I assume that's it," she pointed to the paper Gwen was holding.

_Jack and I will be back in ten days. We are on honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast. Sorry for the deception, we wanted a very private ceremony on our terms. It was just us and the registrar, so no hard feelings. I left a list of what needs to be done in my absence._

Ianto

Scribbled under Ianto's writing was a little addition by Jack.

_P.S. We aren't really **THAT** sorry. Pretending we weren't talking made the sex so much hotter when we got home. Don't burn the place down when we are gone. Owen's in charge. Make sure you follow what's on my irresistible husband's list. -Jack_


End file.
